Ukrainian Video Confirms Execution of POWs by Russian Forces in Piatykhatky

Newly uncovered footage supports claims of systematic war crimes, as investigations and international scrutiny intensify.

A Ukrainian drone video from March 13, 2025, shows Russian soldiers executing four surrendering Ukrainian POWs in the Zaporizhzhia region village of Piatykhatky.
A conflicting Russian drone video depicts the same incident but ends with the Ukrainian POWs alive, highlighting contrasting narratives promoted by Moscow.
Ukrainian investigators have launched a formal inquiry into the killings, treating them as a suspected war crime and part of a broader pattern of extrajudicial executions.
U.N. officials and Ukrainian prosecutors report a significant increase in POW executions, attributing these acts to directives from Russia's top leadership.
Shifts in U.S. policy, including reduced support for international tribunals and foreign aid cuts, are raising concerns about weakened accountability for these war crimes.